Communion apparatus



(No Model.)

A. BA'L'LARD M. H ER. GOMMUNIO lARATU No. 561,854. Patented June 9, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EricE.

COMMUNION APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,854, dated June 9, 1896. Application filed June 14, 1895. Serial No. 552,749. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that we, ADDISON BALLARD and Janus M. HARPER, citizens of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Communion Apparatus for Churches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved apparatus for individual comn1union-service in churches.

The improved apparatus consists of a tray or server provided with a handle and a series of individual communion-cups of a peculiar character. The cups are so constructed that the wine they contain is covered so that no foreign matter can drop into it, so that if accidentally overturned the wine will not readily spill out, and yet so that the communicaut can drink the contents without tipping the cup or throwing the head back. This latter peculiarity of the construction of the cups is of great convenience and comfort to the communicant. Some of the objections made to the use of individual communion-cups are that the small size of the cup, made to hold only one or two teaspoonfuls of wine, makes them difficult to carry in considerable numbers without spilling and very difficult forthe communicant to drink out of without throwin g the head back in an awkward position and taking the whole cup in the mouth, much as one drinks out of a bottle. Moreover, where a number of such cups are carried on a tray their open tops are apt to receive dirt, or at least to appear as though they might receive dirt, unless carried above the shoulder of the deacon or distributor, and that they are liable to tip over or spill their contents upon the clothing of the communicants while being carried and passed around. The present invention overcomes all these defects and objections in a very simple way, as will be understood from the following description or specification, and the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the same.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of the improved communion-service. Fig. 2 is a section on. the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the individual oommunioncup, and Fig. i is a vertical section on the line 4- i of Fig.

In said drawings, A is a circular salver or light metal dish having raised edges and provided with a centr. l carrying-handle B.

O C, &c., are the individual communioncups placed upon the salver, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. This construction and ar ran gement is such, as willbe understood, that the whole apparatus may be readily carried in one hand, from a point some little distance above the cups, so that the weight is suspended in such manner that the whole apparatus may maintain easily a level position in passing the wine about, and also be so held that the salver may be turned readily in any direction to bring any part of it toward the communieant. The cups are made in a form to resemble a wineglass, having a foot 0, a stem 0, and the bowl 0 This construction is such that it suggests the wine to the eye and is therefore an appropriate shape; but in addition to this it possesses special advantages in this relation because it enables the cominunicant to readily take hold of one of the cups by the stem, even when the salver is full of them and their bowls therefore standing in contact with each other.

Each cup is provided with a cover I), made with a concave surface to accommodate the upper lip of the communicant. To this cover is connected a pipe or tube E, extending down nearly to the bottom of the bowl and having an aperture 2 near the edge of the cover. A slight enlargement or lip F is formed on the cover opposite this opening 6 to oifer a guide for the lower lip and enable persons with poor sight to more readily position the cup to the mouth for drinking. This cover D is made to fit tightly into the bowl. and, if preferred, maybe screw-threaded at the edge or otherwise locked to the bowl in such manner that when the cup is overturned by accident it cannot fall off but a snug frictional fit between these parts will ordinarily be sufiicient to accomplish all purposes. A small venthole 6 is punctured. through the cover opposite to the drinking-opening e, and far enough away so that the upper lip of the communicant will not cover it in drinking.

To drink from this cup the communicant may hold the same in a vertical position, applying the mouth to the opening 6. The suction of the mouth being applied to said opening 6 will draw the wine from the bottom of the bowl until the contents are exhausted, the air to supply the vacuum thus created passing in through the vent a. By reason of the tube and small vent the wine will not readily flow out of the hole unless suction is applied, and such a cup may even be turned upside down without spilling its contents, and when overturned with a shock the escape of the liquid, if any, is quite slow, and in carrying a tray of these cups around the shaking and motion will not spill the wine to soil or stain the clothing of the. communicants.

The cups and their covers maybe made of any desired materialglass, silver, or other metal, in whole or in part; but on account of its lightness, cleanness, and freedom from tarnish aluminium is preferred.

In use the cups, enough in number for the communion-service and sometimes several hundred, are all filled with wine and closed with their covers. Then during the service they may be passed around, which can be done with this device in an orderlyand quiet manner very rapidly. After use the cups maybe easilycleaned by removing the covers and putting them into hot Water.

The apparatus above described is cheap, clean, and easilykept clean, comfortable and easy to use, free from the objections usually urged against individual communion-cups, such as liability to spill the wine, and are very easy to drink out of without effort or awkwardness on the part of the communicant.

After the communicants have partaken of the wine they may place the cups in their seats or upon shelves provided for the purpose upon the back of the pew in front of them, thus avoiding any embarrassment upon the part of the partaker or the distributer of the wine. After the service is over the cups may be gathered up by the sexton or others in charge.

That which is claimed is 1. The individual communion-cup, comprising the bowl, the cover removable from the bowl and covering the entire bowl, the tube attached to the cover and extending to the bottom of thebowl, and the vent 6 formed in the cover, substantially as specified.

2. The communion apparatus for churches, consisting of a series of individual communion-cups, each consisting of a bowl, a stem and a foot like a wineglass, and each having a cover covering the entire bowl to which is attached a tube extending to the bottom of the bowl, and a vent in the cover, whereby said cups are adapted to be convenientlycarried about upon a tray, easily removed from the tray one at a time and handled without spilling, and tray, substantially as specified.

ADDISON BALLARD. JAMES M. HARPER. lVitnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY, EDw. S. EVARTS. 

